Queensland Rugby League Ponders
Extra Time

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The Queensland Rugby League is likely to oppose extra time for this year's State of Origin series at a meeting in Brisbane tomorrow, plunging it into a boardroom battle with its NSW counterpart.

The QRL - and Queensland coach Wayne Bennett - have publicly opposed extra time, but pressure is mounting on the Maroons to endorse it following the National Rugby League's decision to adopt it for premiership matches.

QRL managing director Ross Livermore said as much today and admitted the Origin series and extra time would be high on the agenda tomorrow.

"We haven't had a meeting since it was adopted by the NRL for the local competition," Livermore said to our correspondent.

"Our view has been well documented in the past. Whether it changes because the NRL has decided to do it for their competition (we'll see).

"You try to be consistent because the players that play in that competition (the NRL) are going to play in Origin. But the Origin is a little different."

If the QRL throws out the idea of extra time, it will almost certainly be at loggerheads with the NSW Rugby League at next month's Australian Rugby League meeting.

The NSWRL is almost guaranteed to endorse extra time for this year's Origin series at its board meeting next week.

A final decision will be made at the next ARL board meeting on March 4, with NSW having the numbers to push it through if the two leagues are stalemated.

The NRL adopted extra time last month for all premiership games this season, with several coaches including Bennett criticising the decision.

It was expected Origin would follow suit, particularly after the outcry from NSW following last year's 18-18 draw in the third game at Telstra Stadium.

"If it came in for Origin we have a few areas we need to clarify and have answered," Livermore said.

"Our blokes are very good thinkers. They will think it right through. They will come up with the reasons for and reasons against and we'll go from there.